U.S. Covert Involvement in the Middle East

THE U.S COVERT ACTIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
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Introduction
Although the U.S foreign presence is built on its mighty military, covert actions are frequently used to accomplish sensitive operations. Like other western powers, the U.S has conducted several covert actions in the Middle East to bolster its global presence and enjoy the value of being a prominent player in the region. The use of covert actions in the Middle East is perceived as low-risk activities that do not tarnish the country's image and prevent military troops' engagement in unnecessary wars. Covert actions, by characterization and definition, are complex to assess. The secrecy involved leads to ambiguity and uncertainty about any data that attempts to present their success, origin, and scope. Nevertheless, this paper examines the U.S covert actions in the Middle East and why the CIA still employs covert actions despite their negative effect on U.S foreign policy. The paper also assesses U.S covert operations' role in the toppling of Iranian Prime Minister Muhammad Mossadegh in 1953.
Background of U.S covert involvement in the Middle East
The U.S involvement in the Middle East can be traced to the 1850s when President Millard Fillmore attempted to negotiate a commercial treaty with the Persian Empire. However, covert actions officially began during World War II when President Truman recognized the long-term strategic value of the Middle East's oil and its importance on postwar recovery. The Office of Strategic Studies (OSS) did the initial covert actions but were halted after the war ended. However, the escalating tensions between the U.S and the Soviet Union during the Cold War led to the establishment of the CIA and NSC 10/2, a furtive decree that granted the CIA the power to initiate covert actions anywhere in the world. The first U.S covert action in the Middle East occurred in 1953 when the CIA overthrew Iranian Prime Minister Muhammad Mossadegh. This was followed by Operation Cyclone (1979-1989), in which the CIA supplied funds and weapons to the mujahideen of Afghanistan to fight the Soviet invasion. CIA's covert actions in the Middle East increased when President Bush declared war on Al-Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks.[Little, Douglas. "Mission impossible: The CIA and the cult of covert action in the Middle East." Diplomatic History 28, no. 5 (2004): 663-701.] [Gibbs, Edward Alexander. "Agency without an adversary: The Cia and covert actions in the nineteen-eighties and beyond." (2015).] [Bobich, Joshua A. "Who Authorized This: An Assessment of the Process for Approving US Covert Action." Wm. Mitchell L. Rev. 33 (2006): 1111.]
Why covert actions in the Middle East?
Although the U.S covert actions against Iran and Afghanistan in the 1970s were successful, they resulted in a legacy of anti-Americanism in the Middle East. Some scholars argue that the impact of covert actions in the Middle East has hampered U.S foreign policy influence in the region. Others even suggest that Al-Qaeda carried out the 9/11 attacks as retaliation against the U.S covert actions in the Middle East. Despite the grave consequences related to covert actions, successive U.S administrations still conduct hundreds of covert actions in the Middle East every year. Therefore, why does the U.S conduct covert actions in the Middle East? Douglas suggests that the U.S carries out covert actions in the Middle East because of the region's unique geographical location. Indeed, the Black Sea, Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea are fundamental trade routes located in the Middle East and connect the region to Africa and Europe. Furthermore, 35% of U.S imported oil passes through the Black Sea and Suez-canal. Therefore, the U.S must conduct covert actions because there is a significant value of being a prominent player in the region.[Warner, Michael. "A Matter of Trust: Covert Action Reconsidered." Studies in Intelligence 63, no. 4 (2019): 33-41.] [Altwaiji, Mubarak. "Neo-orientalism and the neo-imperialism thesis: Post-9/11 US and Arab world relationship." Arab Studies Quarterly 36, no. 4 (2014): 313-323.] [Little, Douglas. "Mission impossible: The CIA and the cult of covert action in the Middle East." Diplomatic History 28, no. 5 (2004): 663-701.] [Mills, Robin. Risky routes: energy transit in the Middle East. Qatar: Brookings Doha Center, 2016.]
In addition, the U.S undertakes covert actions in the Middle East to protect its national interests. Apart from oil, the U.S has invested heavily in the Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, the war in Syria, and the campaign against terrorist groups located in the region. S...